Expander



Aug. 17, 1937. H. J. DETWILER EXPANDER Filed Dec. 11, 1934 Km Emmi. M

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

The invention relates to an expander and more especially to an adjustable expander for pistons of the slotted type employed in automobiles or other industrial engines.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an expander of this character, wherein the same is readily applicable to the skirt of a piston of the slotted type for the expanding of the latter, the expander being readily adjust-able, 10 flexible and double acting, and such expander may be employed as a cushion or shock absorber between two moving parts or for the flexing action therebetween. Another object of the invention is the provision of an expander of this character, wherein the same includes an expanding clip having tips for engagement with the opposite parts or portions of moving parts, particularly the skirt of the slotted type piston, and such clip can be ten- 20 sioned or 'expanded for flexing thereof and the expanding action inherent thereto, the clip being susceptible of a wide range of adjustment and positive in .action.

A further object of the invention is the provi- 25 sion of an expander of this character, which is extremely simple in its construction, thoroughly reliable and eifective for the purposes intended thereof, readily and easily adjustable, susceptible of being held in its adjusted position against 30 accidental disturbances, strong, double acting, durable, readily and easily applied for use and removed after its use, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described indetail, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a slotted piston showing the expander constructed in accordance with the invention applied to the skirt of the piston.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the expander in side elevation. I

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 -4 of Figure -1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the expanding clip. I

Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the adjusting screw forthe expander and an adjunct thereto.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in 'the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates generally a portion of a piston having its skirt B provided with the split or slot l so that the skirt can be expanded for tight fitting within a a cylinder. Adapted to be applied to the skirt B of the piston A is the expander constituting the present invention and hereinafter fully described.

The expander comprises a spring clip, preferably made from a single length of springy wire of the proper gage for strength and durability, and has the tensioning arms l I, these having the reversely outwardly converging portions l2 and IS, the latter carrying the loops l4 provided with attaching prongs or tips l which are disposed in divergent relation to each other for engagement in holes l6 provided in the skirt B at opposite sides of the slot. Ill and in this fashion the clip is mounted in working relation to said skirt for the expanding of the same.

Eng-aged in the loops M are the wings I! of an adjustable nut l8 threaded on an adjusting screw l9, its head being provided with a screw driver slot 2| for convenience in adjustment of the screw I9. The screw 19 has swiveled thereon an expanding wedge in the form of a circular tapered head 22 which is located between the loops M of the clip and operates under wedging action therebetween for the expanding of the clip which when mounted by the engaging of the tips IS in the holes H5 in the skirt B results in the expanding of the skirt B of the piston A, as will be obvious.

The head 20 of the screw I9 accommodates a cotter pin 23 which prevents the accidental turning of the screw IS on adjustment thereof.

In the use of the expander the nut I8 is assembled with the clip and by Spreading its arms H the wings H of said nut l8 can be engaged in the loops ll of the clip and this nut l8 carries the adjusting screw [9, its end next to the head 22 being swiveledin a socket 24 provided in the underside of said head and this head when swiveled on the screw plays between the converging loops I4 carried by the arms H, so that by adjustment of the screw IS the clip can be expanded or spread for the expanding of the skirt exhibited in Figures 1 to 6 of the drawing.

It should be apparent that this expander can be utilized as a shock absorber or as a variable. adjustable cushion for opposed moving parts when engaged therewith, in addition to service as an expander, in that the arms II will be placed under tension by the head, on adjustment thereof, the clip being inherently resilient and 10 flexible.

The expander is double strength and twin acting as expanding strength lies in the two arms H and these arms can be spread apart under adjustment of the head 22 in the use of the device.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a clip having inherently resilient spreading arms carrying loops, a nut seated in the loops and between the same, an adjusting screw engaged with the nut, and an expanding means swiveled with the screw and active upon the loops for spreading action uponthe same.

2. A device of the character described comprising a clip having inherently resilient spreading arms carrying loops, a nut seated in the loops and between the same, an adjusting screw engaged with the nut, an expanding means swiveled with the screw and activeupon the loops for 0 spreading action upon the same, and anchoring tips on said loops for attachment of the clip with opposed parts or separated portions of a part.

3. A device of the character described comprising a clip having inherently resilient spreading 35 arms carrying loops, a nut seated in the loops and between the same, an adjusting screw engaged with the nut, an expanding means swiveled with the screwv and active upon the loops for spreading action upon the same, anchoring tips 40 on said loops for attachment oi the clip with opposed parts or separated portions of a part, and means engaged with the screw to prevent accidental displacement thereof after adjustment of the same.

45 4. In combination with a piston having a skirt B when the expander is attached thereto, as-

with a longitudinal slot and a pair of openings one on each side thereof, an expander comprising a resilient element formed from a single strand of resilient material bent over upon itself to provide an arcuate bight merging into a pair of legs substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bight and merging into extensions converging upwardly toward each other which in turn merge into extensions downwardly disposed in substantial parallelism with the first mentioned extensions and terminating in lugs at substantial right angles thereto passing by the outer side of the legs and having the terminals disposed in the openings, and means cooperable with the extensions to cause the expansion of the skirt.

5. A device of the character described com prising a clip having inherently resilient spreading arms carrying loops, means seated in the loops and between the same for expanding of said loops with relation to each other and means supported by the loops and adjustable for rendering active the first-named means.

6. A device of the character described comprising a clip having inherently resilient spreading arms carrying loops, means seated in the loops and between the same for expanding of said loops with relation to each other, means supported by the loops and adjustable for rendering active the first-named means and anchoring means on said loops for attachment of the clip with opposed parts or separated portions of a part.

7. A device of the character described comprising a clip having inherently resilient spreading arms carrying loops and adjustable means seated in the loops and between the same for the spreading action of said loopsrelative to each other.

8. A piston skirt expander comprising a resilient bodylportion, a pair of resilient arms extending .from one end 01' said body portion, the

ends of said arms being adapted to be secured to a piston skirt, and tensioning means associated with and movable longitudinally of said body portion intermediate said arms.

HARRY J. DETWILER. 

